XR prof causes chaos at Mayfair hotel

A top London hotel had to be evacuated when a Cambridge don caused chaos by setting off a fire alarms during a conference.

Professor Tony Booth, 75, staged his protest at the Oil and Money Conference InterContinental Hotel in Mayfair as other XR members chanted and played the bongos outside.

Prof Booth is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Commonwealth Education at the University of Cambridge and a vocal climate change protester.

Nearly 1,200 people including the elderly had to evacuate the five-star hotel, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard today (Thu).

The luxury Mayfair hotel charges up to £500 a room and over £2,000 for certain suites.

Julie Idowu, prosecuting, said: ‘The offence was posted on Twitter.

‘It occurred during the Extinction Rebellion protest on October 8 2019 and the purpose of activating the fire alarm was to draw attention from the money conference and towards the issue of climate change.

‘There were a number of people at the hotel, 1,200 people, and the hotel had to be fully vacated, including the elderly.’

Booth entered a plea of not guilty but confirmed he did not dispute the facts of the case.

Asked if he understood the charge. Booth replied: ‘It’s as clear as it can be given that it is not very clear.’

Judge Snow told Booth he would still get a trial and a chance to tell a court his reasoning if he pleaded guilty.

Booth replied: ‘So it doesn’t prevent it going to trial? ‘Well, that seems fine then. Saves us money. That seems okay.’

Booth, wearing a big yellow Extinction Rebellion badge, brown corduroy trousers and a blue jumper, gave the court a double thumbs as he left the court.

Booth, of Norwich Street, Cambridge, pleaded not guilty to one charge of causing a false alarm of fire to be given.